University interviews are all too often shrouded in mystery. Example questions, such as those released by Oxford this month, are meant to shed light on the process and calm nerves. But they can sound like tricks to catch you out. One of this year’s is “tell me what a rock looks like” (and the answer is not “grey and stony”).

To help, we asked three interviewers to reveal their insights into the process, including common mistakes to avoid and how to answer unusual questions.

Interviewers aren’t Dragon’s Den judges. You may expect a panel of terrifying judges to interrogate you. “We’re hopefully nicer than that,” says Helen Swift, professor of medieval French at Oxford University. “On those shows you have to sell or promote yourself in an aggressive way,” she says. “But our interview should be a collaborative thing.”

Interviewers are looking for enthusiasm, engagement, ability and potential, says Sam Lucy, director of admissions for the Cambridge colleges. When it comes to seemingly outlandish questions, a creative approach is key, Lucy says. “It’s people who can explore things they don’t quite understand, who have a willingness to think hard and not give up, and who listen to our hints and advice.”

To prepare, engage with your subject outside of class, Lucy says. “For example, we might ask what you’re reading at the moment,” she says. You’ll also need to be aware of news relating to your subject. “So if you’re applying for earth sciences and there’s been a natural disaster we would expect you to have cottoned onto that fact,” says Conall MacNiocaill, professor of earth sciences at Oxford.

Talk through your thought processes. “It is a slightly weird way of interacting and you wouldn’t do it in normal conversation,” says Lucy. “But you can practice to yourself and the more you do it the less weird it will sound.”

Take your time. Most of the unhelpful things applicants do are the result of nerves, Swift says. Such as talking too much, not listening to the question, or diving in too quickly with an answer. Another common error is to get overly flustered if you make a mistake. “One of the things we really like to see is the ability to spot your mistakes, and to go back and revise,” says Lucy. If you feel you don’t know the answer, slow down, take a deep breath, and ask questions. “We can feed you little bits of information that might help. People do go down cul-de-sacs and we try and steer them out of it,” says MacNiocaill.

Refer to your personal statement. It’s a bad sign if you can’t talk about it at all, MacNiocaill says. But don’t over-egg it either, says Lucy. “A holiday looking at a glacier is not geography field work, for example,” she says.

Don’t fixate on appearances, like how you should sit or shake the interviewer’s hand, Swift says. “It doesn’t matter. Plus it’s December and we’re all going around with colds, so it’s probably best not to bother.” Wear whatever you feel comfortable in. “Not so smart you feel really dressed up, and not so casual your mother won’t let you out of the house,” Lucy advises.